Sewing-machine.



han ll PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906. J. BOLTON & J. WEISS. SEWING MACHINEAPPLIOATIOII FILED MAY 27. 1906.

2 SHEETSr-SHEET 1 NO- 830,562. PATENTED SEPT 11, 1906.

J. BOLTON & J. WEISS. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1905. Q

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

' Application filed May 27,1905. Serial No. 262,697.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES BOLTON and JOHN WEIss, citizens of the UnitedStates, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, are the first, original, and joint inventors of certain newand useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to improvements in sewing-machines provided withone or more shuttles oscillating on a horizontal axis and to which endall of said shuttles areconnected with a horizontal rocl -shaft belowthe bedplate, in turn connected by a pitman with the main shaft in theoverhanging arm of a sewing-machine; and our invention also relates toimprovements in sewing machines in which one or more shuttles rotatingon a vertical axis are actuated by a horizontal counter-shaft and a mainshaft located between the bed-plate and connected by a belt with theshaft in the overhanging arm of the machine.

In both of the sewing-machine structures above mentioned undesirablespace is 00- cupied, resistance met with, and power required foractuating the shuttles, which, together with the cost of production ofsuch shafts and gearing and their requirements of lubrication, &c.,obviously make such structures more or less objectionable.

When a plurality of needles are employed, both of said structuresrequire a corresponding number of shuttles-that is to say, a shuttle foreach needle-and in thefirst structure all of the shuttles arenecessarily simultaneously in motion even though but one needle is beingused, and in the second structure, while the shuttles may be adjustedalong the counter-shaft with reference to the needle, no shuttle can beadjusted with any other needle than that to which it is specificallyassigned. In other words, in the rockshaft structure a plurality ofneedles requires a corresponding number of shuttles, none of which areadjustable and all of which are necessarily simultaneously actuated evenwhen but one needle is in use and with the result that it is onlypossible to have a variation in the distance between two lines ofstitching by leaving one or more needles unthreaded. I/Vhile in thecounter-shaft construction it is true that any of a plurality ofshuttles may be thrown out of action by slipping the pinions, it isequally true that the number of shuttles correspond with thenumgitudinal section ber of needles that may simultaneously be employedand that it is not possible to vary the Width between two lines ofstitching other than by throwing out of action one or more of suchshuttles or unthreading their needles, so that not only do thesedisadvantages of duplication of parts exist with their correspondingparts, but those of lubrication and power required to actuate themachine.

The prime object of our invention is to entirely dispense with gears andshafts below the bed-plate for actuating shuttles in a sewing-machinewhen either one or more are used and in so doing correspondingly reducethe force-required to actuate shuttles, the cost in producingsewing-machines, and at the same time to substantially promoteuniformityin the rotation of shuttles and increase the limit of their oftheirrotation.

A further object is not only to dispense with gearing for actuating aplurality of shuttles, but to have a second shuttle actuated by a leverconnection with the first or main shuttle and have said lever soconnected with a shifting fulcrum that a uniform rotary motion of bothshuttles is maintained.

speed and the smoothness A still further object of our invention is to ihave one of a plurality of shuttles so mounted that it may by theturning of a set-screw be entirely detached from connection with andoperation by the main shuttle.

With these ends in view our invention consists of certain features ofnovelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts bywhich said objects and certain other objects hereinafter ap nearing areattained, all as fully describe with reference to the accompanyingdrawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

- In said drawings, Figure 1 represents a detail side elevation of asewingmachine head with the forward end of its overhanging arm brokenoff, with parts broken. away, showing the usual horizontal shaft thereinand vertical shaft gearing therewith with the devices embodying ourinvention shown in full lines in said elevation. Fig. 2 represents abottom plan view of a sewing-machine head containing our invention; Fig.3, a vertical lonon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a horizontal sectionon the line 4 4 in the direction indicated by the-arrows, and Fig. 5 atransverse sectionon the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 illustrates amodified form of our invention in which the connection be- IIO tween thevertical shaft and the power-shaft I by which is by means of a crank-armconnection. Fig. 7 shows the slotted bearing connecting the power-shaftwith the vertical shaft.

Similar characters of reference indicate the same parts in the severalfigures of the drawin s.

6 indicates the rear portion of the over hanging arm of asewing-machine; 7, the bedlate thereof; 8, the power-shaft in saidoveranging arm; 9, the vertical shaft connected with the power-shaft 8by the usual beveled gears 10 and 11 in the usual bearings and projectedthrough the bed-plate to a point below the same. On the lower end of thevertical shaft 9 is a sprocket-wheel 12, the teeth or pins 13 of whichpreferably con verge to points and are at regular intervals on thehorizontal sprocket 12 and engaged by a belt 14 with correspondingperforations adapted to be engaged by said teeth, which belt connectsthe sprocket 12 with a sprocket 15, upon which is supported ashuttle-carrier or hook 16, and is journaled on a vertical shaft 17 in adepending portion or extension 18 of the bed-plate through the medium ofa downward-inclined extension or projection 19 therefrom.

By the construction above described the shuttle 16 is directly andcontinuously rotated by means of a single belt to the exclusion of anyand all gearing below the bed-plate and with the result that itsmovement and also of its connections with the vertical shaft 9 areentirely noiseless, that such connection is of the cheapest and lightestpossible form, actuated with a minimum of power, and that the shuttlemay thereby have any desired degree of high speed and be operated at anyspeed with a perfectness and smoothness and uniformity not possible whensuch a shuttleis connected with the vertical shaft 9 by means of eithera rock-shaft or a main and counter shaft construction. This beltconnection of a sewing-machine shuttle with the vertical shaft or otherdevice transmitting power from the horizontal shaft 8 in the arm is madepossible for the first time by the fact that a shuttle rotated on avertical aXis has a belt-wheel so located and arranged that a continuousbelt having perforations by which it may be continuously positivelyactuated by corresponding teeth may be con veniently placed in itsoperative position on its driving and transmitting sprockets at thedesired and necessary tension and which has been prohibitive insewing-machines as heretofore constructed.

While the successful rotation of a single shuttle by means of a belt,and thereby dispensing with all gearing therefor below the bed-p ate ofa sewing-machine, is an important feature of our invention, anotherimportant feature is the providing of means driven in gearing, but thatit may be adjusted with reference to two or more needles for varying thewidth between parallel rows of stitches simultaneously produced by thesame machine and at the same time be continuously and uniformly rotated.To these ends the horizontally-projecting arm 18 of the bed plate isprovided at opposite sides with grooves 20, in which are fitted andguided corresponding ribs 21 on arms 22 22, forking from aplate 23, saidarms 22 being provided with longitudinal slots 24 in their sides,through which and through a perforation in the arm '18 projects ascrew-bolt 25, which may be provided with a nut 26 or other means fortightening the same and whereby the plate 23 may be secured in anydesired longitudinal adjustment upon the arm 18. The plate 23 at itsouter end is provided witha hub 27, in which is journaled the verticalspindle 28 of a supplemental shuttle or shuttle-holder 29. On the lowerprojecting end of the spindle 28 is a crank-arm 30, secured to thespindle by a screw or pin 31, a similar crank-arm 32 being secured tothe spindle 17 of the shuttle 16 by a screw or removable pin 33.

Projecting from the under side of the plate 23 at a point between thehub 27 and the base of the arms 22 is a stud or post 34, in which issecured a screw 35, on which a lever 36 is fulcrumed and may be shiftedby reason of an elongated longitudinal slot 37 therein when moving theplate 23 back and forth on the arm 25 to adjust the shuttle 29 withreference to a plurality of needles with which it is designed tocooperate, as hereinafter eX- plained.

The lever 36 is connected at one end with the crank-arm 30 by a pin orroller 38, projecting upwardly into an elongated recess 39 in the underside of the crank-arm 30, the other end portion of the lever beingconnected with the crank-arm 32 by means of a screw 10, secured into thecrank-arm and forming a bearing for a bushing 11, fitting in the slot ofthe crank-arm and adapted to be tightened thereon against movement by anut 42.

Our invention is not limited to the em ployment of two shuttles, and tothis end the shuttle 29 and the several parts connecting it with theshuttle 16 and its support may be entirely omitted without a substantialdeparture from certain important features of our invention hereinafterdescribed and claimed, and so, also, when the shuttle 29 is in itsconnected position with the shuttle 16 and it is desirable to operatebut one shuttle, which may be readily and conveniently disconnected byremoving the single screw or pin 33, passing through the spindle 17 andthe hub of the crank-arm 32. When both a second shuttle may not only bethe entire absence of shafts and.

. lever 36 and of the u centered at its upper end upon a cone 1),

shuttles, however, are designed to be used in 1 connection with asewing-machine provided with a plurality of simultaneously-operatingneedles for producing parallel rows of stitching varying in width, theadjustable shuttle 29 is adapted for cooperation with any one of theseneedles save that which permanently cooperates with the shuttle 16 andby adjusting the shuttle 29, as will now be described.

Let us suppose that in addition to the needle for the shuttle 16 thereare two other needles in parallel arrangement therewith and with eachother and extending to the left of the shuttle 16 in Fig. 1 and that, asshown in said figure,the shuttle 29 is adjusted to the needle at theextreme left, and therefore that the machine is making parallel rows ofstitching at a correspondin distance apart and it now becomes desirab eto narrow the distance between said rows of stitches. To this end theset-screw 25 and bushing 40 are loosened, and then the shuttle 29 ismoved the required distance toward'the shuttle .16 to bring it in itsoperative position underneath the middle needle, and to which end theplate 23 is correspondingly moved on the arm 18 and at the same time thelever 36 accordingly shifts on its fulcrumscrew 35, and when thisadjustment is completed both the screw 25 and nut 42 on the bushing areagain tightened, the shifting of the fulcrum of the point of securingthe bearing of the crank-arm 32 by this bushing to the lever serves tomaintain the required uniform distance between the fulcrum and bothcrank-arms 30 and 32, and the elongation of the bearing of the roller orpin 38 in the crankarm 30 provides the necessary form of bearinpreventing the crankarms from being he (1 on a dead-center and providingfor a uniformly free rotation of both shuttles, however rapid thatrotation may be.

Our invention is not limited to employing an endless belt directlydriving one or more rotating shuttles, but includes its use for drivingoscillating shuttles, and for which purposes the sprocket 12 may beconnected with the power-shaft by means of a pitman or crank-shaftconnection, and when so used the belt need not be perforated throughoutits length. In other words, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the shaft 9instead of being provided with a gear meshing with the gear on thedriving-shaft 8 is provided with a yoke a,

screwed into a perforation in the u per wall of the arm and providedwith an 01 -passage 0. The shaft 8 from about the point of its passagethrough the yoke is bent to the form of a crank-arm d, which has itsbearing in a vertical slotted arm 0, secured to a lug f, pror jectingfrom the vertical shaft 9. Thepurpose of the yoke is merely to form adirect passage through the aXis of the shaft 8.

As before stated, the belt as shown is-not perforated throughout itslength, nor need it be, because of the crank-arm connection it isconfined to an oscillating movement.

While we have shownand described a perforated belt engaging pins on asprocket as one of the best means of securing a positive certainmovement of the belt and uniformity of rotation of shuttle-carriers orhooks, it will be no departure from our invention to substitute anywell-known form of belt and actuating devices therefor.

aving described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. In a sewing-machine, the combination with a shuttle-carrier or hookand the powershaft, of an endless belt directly connected with andactuating said carrier or hook, and a shaft connected with thepower-shaft and actuating said belt, substantially as described.

2. In a sewing-m achine, the combination with a shuttle-carrier or hook,the powershaft and a belt actuating said carrier orhook, of a verticalshaft geared to the power-shaft and provided at its lower end with asprocket carrying said belt, substantially as described.

3. In a sewing-machine, the combination with a shuttle-carrier or hookhorizontally rotating upon a vertical axis, a sprocket-wheel rotatingupon the same axis and rigidly connected with said shuttle-carrier, anendless belt upon said sprocket, a power-shaft and means connecting saidshaft with and actuating said endless belt, whereby the carrier or hookis given a continuous rotary movement, substantially as described.

4. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a plurality ofshuttle-carriers or hooks, means for operating one of said carriers orhooks from a main shaft, and a lever and crank-arm connection betweensaid carriers or hooks, whereby one of said carriers or hooks isactuated by the operation of the other, substantially as described.

5. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a plurality ofshuttle-carriers or hooks,

means connecting and operating one of said carriers or hooks from themain shaft, a lever and crank-arm connecting and actuating one of saidcarriers or hooks through the operation of the other, and means foradjusting one of said carriers or hooks toward and from the other,substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a plurality ofshuttle-carriers or hooks, a power-shaft, means connecting and actuatingone of said carriers or hooks from the powershaft, means for adjustingone of said carriers or hooks with reference to the other, and acrank-arm and a lever connection between said carriers or hooks, saidlever connection being provided with a shifting fulcrum, substantiallyas' and for the purpose described.

7. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a power-shaft in theoverhanging arm thereof, a sprocket below the bed plate, meansconnecting said sprocket and powershaft, a plurality of shuttle-carriersor hooks,

- an endless-belt connection between one of said carriers or hooks andsaid sprocket, and means for ad usting one of said carriers or 'hookstoward and from the other and simulwith the power-shaft, anon-adjustable shuttle-carrier or hook, a sprocket rigidly connectedtherewith, an endless belt directly actuatingsaid carrier or hook,another shuttlecarrier or hook mounted in a plate adjustable upon thesupport of the first carrier, both of said carriers being mounted upon avertical axis, and acrank-arm and shifting fulcrumlever connectionbetween the hooks or shuttle-carriers and secured to said sliding plate,substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a powershaft, a verticalshaft, an overhanging arm inclosing said shafts, a bed-plate, a sprocketupon the vertical shaft at a point below said bed-plate, a projectionfrom the bedplate provided with longitudinal grooves, a shuttle-carrieror hook, a shaft therefor having its bearing in said projection, acrank-arm upon the shaft, a plate provided with forking arms having ribsengaging said grooves, and means for lockingsaid plate and support intheir adjusted position, a shuttle-carrier or hook, a shaft thereforjournaled in said adjustable plate, a crank-arm on the end of the shaftof said shuttle-carrier or hook, a slotted lever connection between saidtwo crankarms, and means for securing said lever to the adjustable plateand providing for the shifting of the fulcrum of said lever,substantially as and for the purpose described.

JAMES BOLTON. JOHN WEISS. Witnesses:

J NO. G. ELLIOTT, Mo S. REEDER.

